Anna Chapman and Other Alleged Russian Spies Arrested

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz called the allegations against 10 people living in the northeastern U.S. "the tip of the iceberg" of a conspiracy of Russia's intelligence service, the SVR, to collect inside U.S. information. Anna Chapman was arrested in New York City at 7:38 p.m. on June 27, 2010 after arriving at the urgency of an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian contact.

Credit: Personal Photo

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

This undated image taken from the Russian social networking website "Odnoklassniki", or Classmates, shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing on June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The caption on Odnoklassniki reads "Russia, Moscow. London, Stone age.

Credit: AP Photo/Odnoklassniki

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz argued against dismissing the claims, telling the judge that Anna Chapman was an "extraordinary agent for Russia" who had communicated via "ad hoc" wireless networks in order to communicate and conspire with a Russian government agent. Chapman's attorney, Robert M. Baum, asked the judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy, saying his client committed no crime by communicating with a member of a foreign government and called the acts listed in the prosecution's complaint "innocuous."

Credit: YouTube

Among the evidence the prosecutor is prepared to offer, Farbiarz said Chapman purchased a cell phone under a false name that she used to make calls to Russia and then threw away the contract and phone charger from a car, which agents later retrieved. Her attorney fought back, saying that while she likely did make phone calls to Russia, he implied that they were to family members. The prosecutor claimed Anna Chapman used a "range extender" for her laptop that communicated to an address that matched a Russian government computer. He said she met in a public place at least 10 times in the vicinity of that computer and believed a secret transfer of information was exchanged wirelessly.

Credit: Personal Photo

This undated image taken from a Facebook page shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing Monday, June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general.

Credit: AP Photo/Facebook

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz argued against dismissing the claims, telling the judge that Anna Chapman was an "extraordinary agent for Russia" who had communicated via "ad hoc" wireless networks in order to communicate and conspire with a Russian government agent. Chapman's attorney, Robert M. Baum, asked the judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy, saying his client committed no crime by communicating with a member of a foreign government and called the acts listed in the prosecution's complaint "innocuous."

Credit: Personal Photo

Chapman was allegedly given a fraudulent passport that was intended to be handed over to an unnamed person, and she was told "this passport is for someone here like you but no in true name," implying an illegal undercover agent for Russia. She was arrested while turning the fraudulent passport over to police, which the prosecution labeled as an attempt for her to make herself appear innocent. Her defense attorney argued that if she was a "brilliant spy" as the prosecution alleged, then she would not have gone to the police to turn in the passport. Anna Chapman operated an online real estate business, according to her attorney. She was divorced from a husband - a citizen of the United Kingdom - and has no children.

Credit: Personal Photo

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz called the allegations against 10 people living in the northeastern U.S. "the tip of the iceberg" of a conspiracy of Russia's intelligence service, the SVR, to collect inside U.S. information. Anna Chapman was arrested in New York City at 7:38 p.m. on June 27, 2010 after arriving at the urgency of an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian contact.

Credit: Personal Photo

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz argued against dismissing the claims, telling the judge that Anna Chapman was an "extraordinary agent for Russia" who had communicated via "ad hoc" wireless networks in order to communicate and conspire with a Russian government agent. Chapman's attorney, Robert M. Baum, asked the judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy, saying his client committed no crime by communicating with a member of a foreign government and called the acts listed in the prosecution's complaint "innocuous."

Credit: Personal Photo

This undated image taken from the Russian social networking website "Odnoklassniki", or Classmates, shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing on June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The caption on Odnoklassniki reads "Russia, Moscow. London, Stone age.

Credit: AP Photo

Chapman was allegedly given a fraudulent passport that was intended to be handed over to an unnamed person, and she was told "this passport is for someone here like you but no in true name," implying an illegal undercover agent for Russia. She was arrested while turning the fraudulent passport over to police, which the prosecution labeled as an attempt for her to make herself appear innocent. Her defense attorney argued that if she was a "brilliant spy" as the prosecution alleged, then she would not have gone to the police to turn in the passport. Anna Chapman operated an online real estate business, according to her attorney. She was divorced from a husband - a citizen of the United Kingdom - and has no children.

Credit: YouTube

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Chapman was allegedly given a fraudulent passport that was intended to be handed over to an unnamed person, and she was told "this passport is for someone here like you but no in true name," implying an illegal undercover agent for Russia. She was arrested while turning the fraudulent passport over to police, which the prosecution labeled as an attempt for her to make herself appear innocent. Her defense attorney argued that if she was a "brilliant spy" as the prosecution alleged, then she would not have gone to the police to turn in the passport. Anna Chapman operated an online real estate business, according to her attorney. She was divorced from a husband - a citizen of the United Kingdom - and has no children.

Credit: YouTube

This undated image taken from the Russian social networking website "Odnoklassniki", or Classmates, shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing on June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The caption on Odnoklassniki reads "Russia, Moscow. London, Stone age.

Credit: AP Photo

This undated image taken from the Russian social networking website "Odnoklassniki", or Classmates, shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing on June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The caption on Odnoklassniki reads "Russia, Moscow. London, Stone age.

Credit: AP Photo

This undated image taken from the Russian social networking website "Odnoklassniki", or Classmates, shows a woman journalists have identified as Anna Chapman, who appeared at a hearing on June 28, 2010 in New York federal court. Chapman, along with 10 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The caption on Odnoklassniki reads "Russia, Moscow. London, Stone age.

Credit: AP Photo/Odnoklassniki

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Farbiarz argued against dismissing the claims, telling the judge that Anna Chapman was an "extraordinary agent for Russia" who had communicated via "ad hoc" wireless networks in order to communicate and conspire with a Russian government agent. Chapman's attorney, Robert M. Baum, asked the judge to dismiss the charge of conspiracy, saying his client committed no crime by communicating with a member of a foreign government and called the acts listed in the prosecution's complaint "innocuous."

Credit: YouTube

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Anna Chapman stood before a judge in a Manhattan federal court on June 28, 2010, along with four others arrested on charges of conspiring to act as "unregistered agents of a foreign government." The alleged spies sometimes worked in pairs and pretended to be married so they could blend in as the couple next door while working as spies in a throwback to the Cold War, complete with fake identities, invisible ink, coded radio transmissions and encrypted data to avoid detection, authorities say.

Credit: Personal Photo

Among the evidence the prosecutor is prepared to offer, Farbiarz said Chapman purchased a cell phone under a false name that she used to make calls to Russia and then threw away the contract and phone charger from a car, which agents later retrieved. Her attorney fought back, saying that while she likely did make phone calls to Russia, he implied that they were to family members. The prosecutor claimed Anna Chapman used a "range extender" for her laptop that communicated to an address that matched a Russian government computer. He said she met in a public place at least 10 times in the vicinity of that computer and believed a secret transfer of information was exchanged wirelessly.

Credit: Personal Photo

Each of the 10 was charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. attorney general, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison upon conviction. Russia angrily denounced the U.S. arrests as an unjustified throwback to the Cold War, and senior lawmakers said some in the U.S. government may be trying to undercut President Barack Obama's warming relations with Moscow.

Credit: Personal Photo

Two defendants known as Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley were arrested at their Cambridge, Mass. residence on June 27, 2010 as part of an FBI bust of an alleged Russian spy ring.

Credit: CBS/WBZ

Two defendants known as Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley were arrested at their Cambridge, Mass. residence on June 27, 2010 as part of an FBI bust of an alleged Russian spy ring.

Credit: CBS/WBZ

Reporters examine the mailbox outside the residence of Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley in Cambridge, Mass., June 28, 2010. According to U.S. Justice Dept., Heathfield and Foley were arrested, and eight others, for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government.

Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Neighbors stop outside the residence of Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley in Cambridge, Mass., June 28, 2010. According to U.S. Justice Dept., Heathfield and Foley were arrested, and eight others, for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government.

Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa

The mailbox outside the residence of Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley has their names listed, along with the term "Future Map" in Cambridge, Mass., Monday June 28, 2010. According to U.S. Justice Dept., Heathfield and Foley were arrested, and eight others, for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government.

Credit: AP Photo/Charles Krupa

The intersection of 10th and H Street NW in Washington, June 28, 2010. According to court papers, an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian agent, met with Mikhail Semenko at this Washington location. Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Stairway leading to apartment 15N at 1505 N Quinn St in Arlington Va., June 28, 2010. Defendant Mikhail Semenko was arrested at this residence. Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Door entrance to apartment 15N at 1505 N Quinn St in Arlington Va., June 28, 2010. Defendant Mikhail Semenko was arrested at this residence. Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Two defendants, known as Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills, were arrested at their residence at the River House Apartments in Arlington Va. Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Exterior of the River House Apartments in Arlington Va., June 28, 2010. Two defendants, known as Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills, were arrested at their residence in this building. Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policy-making circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

The Montclair, N.J. house where "Richard Murphy" and "Cynthia Murphy" were arrested by the FBI on Sunday is shown Monday, June 28, 2010. The couple is among the 10 people the FBI arrested Monday for allegedly serving for years as secret agents of Russia's intelligence organ, the SVR, with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Rich Schultz

In this courtroom sketch, Anna Chapman, left, and Vicky Pelaez are seen in Manhattan federal court in New York on June 28, 2010. They are among the 10 people the FBI arrested Monday for allegedly serving for years as secret agents of Russia's intelligence organ, the SVR, with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.

Credit: AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams

In this courtroom sketch, the defendant known as "Richard Murphy", center, the defendant known as "Cynthia Murphy", second from right, and the defendant known as "Juan Lazaro" are seen in Manhattan federal court in New York, Monday, June 28, 2010. The Murphys and Lazaro are among the 10 people the FBI arrested Monday for allegedly serving for years as secret agents of Russia's intelligence organ, the SVR, with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles.